come up trumps
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phrasal-verb

come up trumps

Meaning
to perform unexpectedly well; to succeed when least expected
Example
She **came up trumps** and saved the project just in time.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
phrasal-verb

freshen up before

Meaning
to wash or tidy yourself just before an event
Example
Let me **freshen up before** the guests arrive.
phrasal-verb

make up after

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They finally **made up after** not speaking for weeks.
idiom

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
idiom

come into the spotlight

Meaning
to receive public attention or recognition
Example
She **came into the spotlight** after winning the award.
phrasal-verb

tire yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself very tired, often due to stress or overwork
Example
He **tired himself out** trying to finish all his tasks in one day.
idiom

lay one’s cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about one’s intentions or feelings
Example
It’s time to **lay our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
idiom

a fish out of water

Meaning
feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
Example
She felt like **a fish out of water** at the new school.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
idiom

work your fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
She **worked her fingers to the bone** to support her family.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
phrasal-verb

lash out at

Meaning
to express anger by shouting or attacking someone verbally
Example
He **lashed out at** his colleague for making a mistake.
phrasal-verb

prepare against

Meaning
to take precautions to avoid future risks
Example
The city is **preparing against** possible flooding.
idiom

all in the same boat

Meaning
in the same situation or facing the same challenges
Example
We're all **in the same boat**, so let's work together to solve this problem.
phrasal-verb

give up on

Meaning
to stop believing in someone or something
Example
Don’t **give up on** your dreams, no matter how hard it gets.
phrasal-verb

spread awareness about

Meaning
to share information to make people more conscious about something
Example
The NGO works hard to **spread awareness about** climate change.
phrasal-verb

toy with concepts

Meaning
to play with or experiment with creative ideas before finalizing them
Example
We’re still **toying with concepts** for the new campaign slogan.
phrasal-verb

hand over responsibilities

Meaning
to transfer duties or control to someone else
Example
He will **hand over responsibilities** to his deputy next month.
idiom

robotic precision

Meaning
extremely accurate and consistent performance
Example
She performs her tasks with **robotic precision**.
idiom

act your age

Meaning
behave in a manner appropriate to your age
Example
Stop being so childish and **act your age**!
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning
To openly show your emotions or feelings.
Example
He **wears his heart on his sleeve**, so you always know how he feels.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
phrasal-verb

fall into routine

Meaning
to become accustomed to a regular way of working
Example
After a few weeks, the new hires **fell into routine** easily.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
phrasal-verb

join up for

Meaning
to enroll or participate in a collective action
Example
Thousands **join up for** the beach cleanup drive.
phrasal-verb

drive up demand

Meaning
to increase the desire or need for something
Example
The marketing efforts **drove up** demand for the company’s products.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
idiom

hit upon an idea

Meaning
to suddenly think of a good idea
Example
I **hit upon an idea** for improving the app.
idiom

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
idiom

leave a carbon footprint

Meaning
to cause pollution or environmental impact through daily activities
Example
Flying frequently can **leave a large carbon footprint**.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

open onto

Meaning
to lead to a place or opportunity for connection
Example
This conversation could **open onto** a deeper understanding between us.
idiom

measure out

Meaning
to calculate and separate a specific amount
Example
Please **measure out** two cups of flour.
idiom

to have a lot on one's plate

Meaning
to have a lot of tasks or responsibilities to deal with
Example
She can't take on any more projects; she already has **a lot on her plate**.
phrasal-verb

send over

Meaning
to transmit or deliver something digitally to another person or group
Example
I’ll **send over** the final document once it’s approved.
idiom

My two cents

Meaning
My personal opinion or suggestion
Example
That’s just my two cents, but I think we should wait.
idiom

lend an ear

Meaning
to listen carefully to someone’s problems or feelings
Example
She’s always ready to **lend an ear** when I’m feeling down.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

Lose your shirt

Meaning
To lose a lot of money.
Example
He **lost his shirt** gambling last night.
phrasal-verb

rave about

Meaning
to speak with great enthusiasm and admiration about something
Example
He kept **raving about** the concert for days.
idiom

To move mountains

Meaning
To achieve something very difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example
With determination, she can **move mountains**.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
phrasal-verb

wind up about

Meaning
to become agitated or upset because of something
Example
Try not to **wind up about** the traffic; we'll still make it on time.
phrasal-verb

team up across departments

Meaning
to collaborate with people from different teams
Example
We **team up across departments** to deliver the sustainability report.
phrasal-verb

cut off negativity

Meaning
to remove negative influences or thoughts
Example
He learned to **cut off negativity** to stay mentally strong.
phrasal-verb

go away

Meaning
to leave or disappear
Example
The pain will **go away** after a few hours.
idiom

Go all out

Meaning
To use all your energy and resources to achieve something.
Example
They **went all out** to make the event a success.
idiom

a game changer

Meaning
something that completely changes the way things are done
Example
The new technology is a **game changer** for the healthcare industry.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
phrasal-verb

speak with assurance

Meaning
to talk confidently and convincingly
Example
He **spoke with assurance** during his presentation.
phrasal-verb

move past hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally from a painful experience
Example
It took her years to **move past hurt** and trust again.
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
phrasal-verb

pick apart

Meaning
to criticize something in detail
Example
The reviewer **picked apart** the movie for its weak plot.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
phrasal-verb

stand up under

Meaning
to endure stress or criticism without breaking down
Example
She **stood up under** the criticism and stayed confident.
idiom

caught red-handed

Meaning
to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The thief was **caught red-handed** stealing the wallet.
phrasal-verb

take heart from

Meaning
to gain comfort or courage because of something
Example
Volunteers **take heart from** every thank-you message they receive.
phrasal-verb

lag behind

Meaning
to respond slowly compared to expected speed
Example
The game **lags behind** because my device is old.
phrasal-verb

bridge through education

Meaning
to connect cultures by learning and teaching from each other
Example
Schools help **bridge through education** by hosting cultural exchange programs.
phrasal-verb

cut down on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or frequency of something harmful
Example
We must **cut down on** carbon emissions to fight climate change.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop or control something
Example
Authorities are **clamping down on** tax evasion this year.
idiom

starry-eyed

Meaning
having naive or unrealistic dreams or hopes
Example
He was **starry-eyed** about becoming a famous singer.
idiom

let your hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy yourself freely
Example
At the party, everyone **let their hair down**.
phrasal-verb

aim toward

Meaning
to direct efforts or plans toward achieving something
Example
Her education is **aimed toward** a career in medicine.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
phrasal-verb

ease out

Meaning
to gradually relax or relieve tension
Example
A long shower helped me **ease out** after work.
phrasal-verb

pull out of the deal

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or contract
Example
Several companies **pulled out of the deal** due to political instability.
phrasal-verb

break out

Meaning
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
Example
A fire **broke out** in the kitchen last night.
phrasal-verb

give away to

Meaning
to yield to; to be replaced by something
Example
The old traditions **gave away to** modern practices.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
idiom

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
phrasal-verb

press toward achievement

Meaning
to put effort and determination into reaching goals
Example
He continues to **press toward achievement** no matter the difficulties.
idiom

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
phrasal-verb

clock in

Meaning
to record the time when you start work
Example
Employees must **clock in** when they begin their remote shifts.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
phrasal-verb

hold it together

Meaning
to stay calm and not show your emotions when under stress
Example
Even under pressure, she managed to **hold it together**.
phrasal-verb

get up

Meaning
to rise from bed after sleeping
Example
She **gets up** right after the alarm goes off.
idiom

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
phrasal-verb

hold in emotions

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing what you feel
Example
He tried to **hold in his emotions** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

bring up for discussion

Meaning
to introduce a topic for polite debate or talk
Example
I’d like to **bring up for discussion** the new proposal everyone received.
phrasal-verb

give back

Meaning
to return something to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **give back** the book you borrowed.
phrasal-verb

open eyes to

Meaning
to make someone realize or become aware of something important
Example
The film **opened people’s eyes to** the struggles of the poor.
phrasal-verb

build credibility with

Meaning
to earn trust and respect from others
Example
It takes time to **build credibility with** your colleagues.
phrasal-verb

build upon agreements

Meaning
to develop or improve international agreements that already exist
Example
The summit aimed to **build upon agreements** made in previous meetings.
idiom

give away

Meaning
to donate or to reveal something unintentionally
Example
They plan to **give away** the extra supplies to the shelter.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

hope against hope

Meaning
to continue hoping even when it seems impossible
Example
They **hoped against hope** that their team would win.
phrasal-verb

draw over

Meaning
to move something or someone to another side
Example
He **drew over** the curtain to let the sunlight in.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
phrasal-verb

team together

Meaning
to form or join a group to work on something
Example
Let's **team together** to organize the upcoming workshop.
phrasal-verb

press for

Meaning
to insistently demand something
Example
Opposition parties continue to **press for** fair elections.
phrasal-verb

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
phrasal-verb

get bogged down

Meaning
to become so involved in something that you cannot make progress
Example
I got **bogged down** in paperwork and missed the meeting.
idiom

hold the upper hand

Meaning
to have more power or advantage over others
Example
Negotiations continued, but the buyer **held the upper hand**.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
phrasal-verb

go against

Meaning
to oppose or disagree with someone or something
Example
It takes courage to **go against** popular opinion.
phrasal-verb

ship out goods

Meaning
to send goods to another place, especially abroad
Example
They will **ship out goods** to Europe by the end of this month.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.